Installation of hot boxes for conservation in the last nursery roost of Greater Horseshoe Bats Rhinolophus ferrumequinum in Austria

A novel conservation strategy involving the installation of hot boxes has been successfully implemented to support the critically endangered Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) population in Austria. This intervention, the first of its kind in the country, aims to stabilize and potentially enhance thermal conditions within the attic of Schloss Eggenberg in Graz, serving as the species' last known maternity roost. The hot boxes provide a range of microclimates critical for gestation and juvenile development, addressing the urgent need for habitat improvement amid severe population declines across Central Europe. This approach offers a practical solution to mitigate threats faced by isolated bat populations on the brink of extinction.

Zangl, L., Gutstein, A., Paill, W., Weiss, E., & Sackl, P. (2023). Installation of hot boxes for conservation in the last nursery roost of Greater Horseshoe Bats Rhinolophus ferrumequinum in Austria. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 15(1), 22548–22550. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.8140.15.1.22548-22550